Thread: Predictions for 5.3?

Ah, you're right that that's debatable - that's my bad! Especially if my "Minfilia Is Hydaelyn" theory is right; Elidibus could be the form he wants while still being Zodiark, especially if he can just teleport around-- they DO have the upper hand in Calamities vs. Light at the moment, so keeping an avatar of himself around isn't so difficult right now... unlike for Hydaelyn and keeping her own avatar moving around.

Hopefully we'll get some answers to that + how they stayed Unsundered in 5.3. My only guess at that one is that, by likely being part of the 13 who summoned Zodiark in the first place, that little inbetween they go to kept them like that as opposed to the lesser Ascians or those who they elevated to the stations they knew that they found on shards + Source. :|a

Originally Posted by Archwizard

In regards to Garlemald:

My thinking is, the Empire storyline and the Ascian storyline have diverged. While the Ascians are responsible for literally everything wrong with the world in XIV, including constructing the Empire in its entirety, 99% of the Empire is unaware of the Ascians' influence, particularly during Stormblood. The warmachine of the Empire has become an engine of destruction in its own right, which continues with infighting, conquering outlying nations, and the creation of Weapons even after the Ascians have fled the stage.

I agree. The Empire has become the lesser villain. In the patches following the downfall of Ascians, Zodiark, and Hydaelyn, we still need people to fight, motivate, and push us to the next greater evil threat. This shoe can only be filled by the Empire. The earliest we go to Empire will be 7.0 and will only happen if can reveal the next Ascian like threat.

It's true that the Empire needs to stay around as an engine for the story, but it's also the case that said engine is only driving in one direction - That is to say, Ilsabard. I think it was a very conscious choice to have both sidestories in ShB focus on conflicts on opposite sides of the Empire, and I think this trend will continue next expansion. Ilsabard is simply too large, with too much going on, to do in just one release. And Garlemald doesn't really have good justification to drive stories elsewhere now either, they can't be the force behind a Meracydia or New World expansion because that us way outside the limits of their reach. So I think we'll keep having sidestories whittle down the Empire until it's reasonable to actually set the MSQ there. For the next expansion though, my money is on Sharlayan and Hingashi - Both are way too old and established not to have knowledge of many of the revalations we've had in ShB, and coincidentally they're both extreme isolationists.

I keep thinking of that mystery man hanging around with Zenos...(who seems to at least be Asahi, or one with his body/appearance and voice). He seems to know an awful lot about the goings on of the Ascians and Zodiark/Hydaelyn. Yet, unless we've been conveniently misinformed, Elidibus is the last unsundered servant of Zodiark. Not that we've seen mysterious Asahi white cloak dude use Ascian-like powers, that I recall. Though I can't help but wonder if he's this defector that keeps getting mentioned.

I know there's already an established theory that the defector is the player character before their soul was sundered. That said, the defector supported neither the convocation, nor venat and the hydaelyn rebellion shall we call it. It feels odd to me that us with our imperatively defining Blessing of Light, would be associated with someone aligned with neither. Granted, there may have been more choice in the matter before the sundering, but...I dunno. Despite everything we've learned about Hydaelyn, we've yet to see anything but good come of her blessing, that I recall. And with allies like Ryne, it feels....wrong to call Hydaelyn someone we don't side with. Maybe she'll be a tragic deity who manufactures her own demise at our hands when she's no longer needed or something (I know a lot of people like the "both gods must die" theory), but trying back to the idea of us being the defector...I don't quite subscribe

(sorry, phone, can't edit ><)

...I don't quite subscribe for that reason.

But what if this guy with Zenos is unsundered, but not a convocation member? Is that a possibility? Zenos remarks of his soul when he appears, so to me that says he's either significantly less "sundered" than other souls, or alternatively his hue matches someone Zenos knows....us? (Maybe we're both the defector!). I'm really just spitballing because I want to know more about this guy :P

His 5.1 line "your next prey......Zodiark", implies he wants Zenos to kill Zodiark, which means he at least isn't on the side of the convocation, right?

Originally Posted by Aeliott

(sorry, phone, can't edit ><)

...I don't quite subscribe for that reason.

But what if this guy with Zenos is unsundered, but not a convocation member? Is that a possibility? Zenos remarks of his soul when he appears, so to me that says he's either significantly less "sundered" than other souls, or alternatively his hue matches someone Zenos knows....us? (Maybe we're both the defector!). I'm really just spitballing because I want to know more about this guy :P

His 5.1 line "your next prey......Zodiark", implies he wants Zenos to kill Zodiark, which means he at least isn't on the side of the convocation, right?

Hmm, I think it unlikely he is unsundered, because his knowledge of the Final Days is "second-hand" as he says so himself. And he seems aware that Emet-Selch was Solus, implying he had some Ascian insider knowledge.

Originally Posted by MrThinker

Hmm, I think it unlikely he is unsundered, because his knowledge of the Final Days is "second-hand" as he says so himself. And he seems aware that Emet-Selch was Solus, implying he had some Ascian insider knowledge.

Yeah, this. It's likely that he's a Lesser Ascian that was raised up to some level from either the Source (if it is indeed Chihuahua Man) or from elsewhere. My bet is on Elidibus since the last white cloak we saw that Elidibus had a hand in was Unukalhai, and he just needs someone to make sure things are going well on the Source while he's away on the First stirring up trouble... so why not raise up an Ascian to do just that?

Originally Posted by rainichan

Yeah, this. It's likely that he's a Lesser Ascian that was raised up to some level from either the Source (if it is indeed Chihuahua Man) or from elsewhere. My bet is on Elidibus since the last white cloak we saw that Elidibus had a hand in was Unukalhai, and he just needs someone to make sure things are going well on the Source while he's away on the First stirring up trouble... so why not raise up an Ascian to do just that?

Chihuahua Man, lmao. I'm totally calling him that when I get to him in my LP.

Originally Posted by Vyrerus

Chihuahua Man, lmao. I'm totally calling him that when I get to him in my LP.

LOL glad to be of service! I just call it like I see it